Burlington and Conference Carolinas Team Up to Host Spring Tournament Championship Events

August 22, 2012

HIGH POINT, N.C. - Conference Carolinas is proud to announce that Burlington Recreation & Parks will host four upcoming tournament championship events this coming spring in Burlington, N.C. Conference Carolinas and Burlington are extremely excited to partner together to develop and create the inaugural Conference Carolinas Spring Championship Games. Burlington will play host for league tournament championships in baseball, men’s lacrosse, softball, and women’s lacrosse for the next three years (2013-15).

“Conference Carolinas student athletes will have an exciting festival experience in Burlington,” stated Conference Commissioner Alan Patterson. “The close competition always experienced in Conference Carolinas tournaments and the commitment of the City of Burlington will create lasting memories for all who participate and attend.”

Burlington’s track record has proven itself with the outstanding relationship with the USA South Conference in hosting their festival event the past seven years. With an opportunity to raise those past successes, both parties look to grow the event in the coming years.

“On behalf of the City of Burlington and the Recreation & Parks Department, we are excited about the opportunity to be selected as a dynamic partner with the Conference in the development of its first potential Spring Championship Games”, stated Lisa Wolf the Burlington Superintendent of Recreation Programming. “It is an honor to have been selected for this great opportunity not only for the league but for the athletes as well. The confidence we have in our staff will provide a sports festival that is sure to outshine all other championship events.”

Burlington will welcome Conference Carolinas to the triad region hosting the men’s & women’s lacrosse championships and softball championships at the highly regarded Burlington Springwood Park. The softball and men’s & women’s lacrosse championship games will be in close proximity at the park during the same time frame on the April 18-21, 2013 weekend. The baseball league tournament is a weekend later (April 24-28) and will be played at the Burlington Athletic Stadium. The stadium is used each summer for professional baseball, hosting the Kansas City Royals rookie league team.

Burlington and Conference Carolinas reached a three-year agreement and starting in 2014 hope to have all four events on the same weekend. The Spring Championship Games will look to promote the student-athlete experience building on the advantages of neutral-site championship events and student-athlete festival experiences.

Softball and baseball tournament winners will receive an automatic bid to NCAA championship play, so there will be a lot at stake for all games within the tournaments. Conference Carolinas has produced many strong NCAA teams with most recently Limestone’s men’s lacrosse appearing in the national championship game last year (also 2000 & 2002 national champs) and Limestone’s women appearing in the same championship game in 2011. In baseball, Mount Olive won the national title in 2008 with both Belmont Abbey (2009 final eight) and Mount Olive (2011 final four) reaching the national tournament in years past as well.